If you’re ready for some fun this summer, or any other time, take a look at the new Seakart 335, a hybrid mix of a jet ski and a RIB. The 11’ 5” Seakart has the fun and performance of a jet ski, combined with the capacity and safety of a RIB. Not a bad idea. Power comes from a 110-hp or 180-hp four-stroke Yamaha jet drive. With the 110, top speed is 39 knots; with the 180, it’s 56 knots. The Seakart has a console like that of a jet ski, down to the mirrors, but the steering is…
SPRINGFIELD, Va., June 29, 2021 – It’s been a tumultuous year for Americans, and getting away from it all on a recreational boat has given many the respite they’ve needed. With lives upended, some recreational boat owners have chosen to reflect on the times when selecting a name for their boat. “Social Distancing” rocketed to the No. 2 spot on the BoatUS Top 10 Boat Names list for 2021. The choice of boat names, which were requested from the BoatUS online Boat Graphics service, may also tell you a little about the owner. Here’s this year’s Top 10 Boat Names…
With the Fourth of July weekend approaching, and the rest of summer unfolding ahead, more and more people will be out on the water, on all kinds of vessels, with all kinds of experience. This year, more of them will be new to boating; indeed, 415,000 people bought a boat for the first time in the past 18 months. Here are some great tips from the Water Sports Foundation in Orlando, Florida, about how everyone can stay safe this summer and beyond: 1. IMPORTANT BASICS: PLAN AHEAD & BE PREPARED Boaters should conduct a thorough inspection of their vessel and…
Three teenagers who were fishing on Long Island Sound just rescued five older men (including three who couldn’t swim) after their boat took on water and turned over. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said the men were fishing off Six-Mile Reef near Clinton and Westbrook, when they saw water inside the back of the boat. It flooded the batteries, and they couldn’t start the engine. As more and more water poured in, they put on life jackets and sent out a distress call on Channel 16. As it turned out, the three teenagers were nearby and…
The highly styled, contemporary Pearl 62 is a family-oriented, owner-operator cruiser with four staterooms and three heads. With optional 900-hp Volvo IPS1200 pod drives, it tops out at 33 knots; dialed back to 10 knots, it has a range of 600 nm. The 62 is the U.K. company’s entry-level yacht, joining the Pearl 80 and Pearl 95. With a luxury-level fit and finish, it was created by Bill Dixon, the British naval architect, and Kelly Hoppen, MBE, the interior designer. It is built by the Xiaman Hansheng yard in China The super-sized slanted windshield gives the Pearl 62 a sporty…
XO Boats in Finland is making a new 29-foot DFNDR 9 all-weather, multi-purpose boat that extends the company’s lineup of aluminum-hull vessels. Powered by twin 225-hp Mercury V6 outboards, the XO DFNDR 9 will have a top speed of 50 knots, while its deep-V hull (22 degree deadrise at the transom) is built for offshore performance. The DFNDR 9 joins XO Boats’ lineup of DSCVR and EXPLR boats, all named to evoke the company’s adventuresome spirit. “The unique design concept makes DFNDR 9 an excellent choice for adventures and watersports alike,” said Erkki Talvela, the CEO of XO Boats. “At…
Sunreef is finishing its first 100 Power Catamaran in its factory in Gdansk, Poland, developed on the success of the widely acclaimed Sunreef 80 power cat. The 100 meant to be luxurious and vast, inside and out, and it makes use of its more than 44-foot beam to accommodate ten guests in five staterooms (plus a crew of three) in a total of 5,380 square feet of living space. The main deck on the new 100 just seems to go on forever. The middle 40 percent or so is occupied by the salon, filled with light from panoramic windows. It…
Vision Marine Technologies, the high-tech startup in Montreal that wants to disrupt the traditional boating industry, just announced it has formed a partnership with Hellkats Powerboats to break the world speed record for the fastest electric-powered boat. For the record attempt, Vision will rig a 32-foot Hellkats with two of its E-Motion 180E powertrains, which Vision just introduced last month. The Hellkats, called Fulgura 1, will be launched in November. “This is the perfect opportunity to showcase the capability, reliability and power of our E-Motion powertrain,” said Alexandre Mongeon, the co-founder and CEO of Vision Marine. The world speed record…
Here’s a look at some of our favorite pictures from the U.N. World Oceans Day photo competition, which drew 1,400 images from around the world. The pictures show a wide array of marine creatures and habitats, and they were divided among six categories: Oceanic Discoveries, The Ocean: Life & Livelihoods, Above Water Seascapes, Underwater Seascapes, Faces of the Sea, and Digital Ocean Photo Art. The winners were chosen by a jury of world-famous photographers and artists. The top picture of the mako shark off the coast of Baja California was taken by Evans Baudin from the U.S.; it was third…
Beneteau has just started sea trials on its new Grand Trawler 62 displacement long-range cruiser in the Adriatic off the factory in Monfalcone, Italy, north of Venice. The company calls the new GT 62 “the ultimate voyaging yacht.” With a pair of 730-hp MAN diesels and straight shafts, the GT 62 tops out at about 20 knots, but it’s meant to run at lower speeds for maximum efficiency, comfort and range. Indeed, at 9 knots, the 62 has a range of 900 nm. Amadeo Migali, the naval architect who drew the boat, says the aim “is not to achieve 25…